E Ys Rana du Bnudald Oui, So Muja!
by bhfirewife
Summary: Auron finds out about something that happened to Rikku a year before the group met her, can he help her fully heal? Can he keep protecting her in her future?
1. Present people learn some History

A/N#1: This is a repost, and an ACTUAL continuation to the story that I did way back when, but I hope that the few changes that I made, help the story seem more logical.

A/N#2: This takes place sometime after Yunalesca and before the final fight with Sin. (Looking for the Celestial Weapons maybe? ~.O) And yes I realise it's probably just a bit OOC….but, even the tough guys are softies when it comes to the one that they truly and deeply love. And btw…I'm writing this under the assumption that Rikku has turned of age (16) while on the pilgrimage.

Auron had enough of just watching the young Al Bhed girl prance around. It was driving him crazy! Didn't she know that she was making him mad with desire for her when she did that? He supposed that she didn't realise it because she was young and innocent, how could she know about those things?

He couldn't count the number of times that he has already caught her looking at him, for her to only turn away, with a faint blush on her cheeks. He could see that she felt something towards him too. He had seen enough women flirt with him, not all consciously, in Zanarkand when he was watching over Tidus to know when a woman was interested in him.

The would be stopping at an inn for that night in a few hours, he would have to confront her about what she was doing to him before she drove him to an early sending. So far he had been 'handling' himself but his lust for the young woman was growing beyond his control. He needed her. More than that, he wasn't some one to just use women for sex, he loved her. He didn't know how it happened, or when, but he felt as though he's loved her ever since he first saw her when she was stripping out of her body suit by the Moonflow.

He couldn't get that image out of his head most nights. The other nights? He saw seeing her in the same poses, but in a locked room of an inn, stripping offer her clothes to stand naked before him. He felt like a dirty old man on those nights, but he couldn't truly feel ashamed over it.

He just wished he knew how she felt about him. Was he being foolish in hoping that she cared as deeply for him as he does her?

***

Rikku snuck another look at Auron, turning away blushing when he turned and saw her watching him. Why did he always seem to catch her? And way was she so shy about it when he did?

There were a number of things regarding her reactions to the oldest guardian that he youngest was confused about. Why did she her heart always seem to do flips when he'd say her name? Why did she always feel a warmth inside when he'd give her praise over a well fought fight? What was that electricity that flowed between them whenever they came in direct contact with each other? Does he feel these things in regards to her?

***

That night after they arrived at the inn, Rikku blushingly asked Lulu if she could ask her something. When the black mage agreed, they went outside to have their talk.

Rikku told the older woman about how she felt, and Lulu was not surprised to learn that the young woman had such strong feelings for Auron. She had been able to see them on Rikku's face for sometime. Though she reassured her that she had never told anybody about what she saw in the young girl's face when she looked at the older man. And she had to tell her that the guys would never have noticed because men don't notice stuff like that, and that Yuna wouldn't have noticed because she had a lot on her mind, and heart.

"Rikku, it's love, that you feel. You're in love," the mage said to her friend as she gave a sad smile, "I felt the same way when I was with Chappu."

Rikku just sat there and looked at Lulu. Love? _Well that would explain it!_ she thought as she felt her heart rise. Only to feel it plummet, there was no way that he could feel the same way for her, she was just a child to him. How would he see her as anything else with the age difference between them? She didn't care about the gap between them. She knew a lot of couples that were not close in age, and were still happily and deeply in love with each other.

Then another thought crossed her mind, what if he did feel something for her, and wanted to make love with her? Could she? How would she explain to him the lack of her virginity at such a young age to him?

Would he believe that she had been raped a little over a year ago? No one else would have believed that she had been, so she didn't tell anyone about it other than her brother, the one that had died in her arms when Home had been destroyed. Fear began to fill the younger woman and she began to tremble.

"Are you alright?" Lulu asked, concern filling her. Rikku's head snapped up to look at her and the black mage could see the tears that filled her eyes. Rikku shook her head, not able to speak. The older woman gently pulled Rikku into her arms, pulling her head to her shoulder, and held her comfortingly as the younger girl cried.

Once she had calmed down a bit, Rikku let Lulu lead her back inside the inn and to one of the rooms that the group was going to be staying in. Lulu settled Rikku on the edge of the double bed that was in the room and went to get a cool damp washcloth for the girl to put on her face.

Rikku, blushing, quietly thanked Lulu, and allowed the woman to put the cloth to her face. It was a bit of a help.

"Want to talk about it?" Lulu asked. She knew that something about her being in love with Auron had upset the girl, but she didn't know what would get such a strong reaction.

Rikku was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. She took a breath and then looked into Lulu's eyes and told her. She told her everything. How she had been out in the desert alone looking for 'treasure' there like most of the young Al Bheds from there did. How a group of men had come up to her. How they had taken their turns and repeated raped her. How she couldn't tell anybody about it because she knew that they would not believe that those men would have done something like that to their leader's daughter

Lulu gasped. She couldn't believe that Rikku had been through something like that. She was always so cheerful. But then she realised that everybody deals with things in their own way. She just hoped that she hadn't suppressed what had happened to her.

"I had to keep up my cheerful attitude in front of everyone, even them. The only one that knew was my brother that died when Home was destroyed. He was the one that helped me through all the rough times in my life. The only consolation I have it that the men didn't survive Home's destruction either."

"I just don't know what to do if, I find a guy that feels for me, and I him, like I do for Auron right now, even it's not Auron, and things start to…," she couldn't finish the though as another wave of tears hit her. She didn't need to finish the thought, Lulu understood her concern, but didn't know what to tell her.

Lulu held Rikku again and let her cry some more. It wasn't long before she cried herself out and was starting to fall asleep on the older woman's shoulder. Lulu gently laid Rikku on the bed and pulled the blanket that was folded at the foot of it over the girl so that she wouldn't get chilled.

***

Auron looked up at the sound of a door closing, and saw Lulu leaving the room that he had seen her lead Rikku into earlier. A obviously upset Rikku. Seeing the young girl so upset made him want to tear apart whoever had made her feel that way.

The mage looked up and saw the oldest guardian looking at her, but she couldn't keep the sad look that she knew was there out of her eyes. She walked past the man and went back outside. She needed sometime away from the group to get herself calmly centered again.

She was not surprised when she heard the inn's door open and close again behind her. Nor was she surprised to find out that it was Auron that had followed her, or at his words to her. She had seen the looks that Auron had been giving the young thief and knew that he felt for her as she did him.

"Is Rikku alright?" there was concern filling his voice. Right now he didn't care, the one that had his heart was hurting and her wanted to make sure that she would be alright.

"She had a bad memory hit her at the wrong time, and wasn't ready for it to surface," was all the that the woman could say, without giving away what she had promised not to tell anyone.

"What was it Lulu?" he asked, almost pleading with her.

"I'm sorry Auron, but I promised that I would not talk about it to anyone. It is for her to tell."

The warrior monk clenched his fists to hold himself in check from hitting something. There was nothing he could do to help her, especially if he didn't know what was wrong. He squeezed his eye shut to help hold back the yell of frustration from escaping.

Neither action was lost on the woman that was standing in front of him, despite his shades. "You truly care deeply for her, don't you?" she asked him.

"It's more than that Lulu. I…I love her," he confessed to the black mage.

"Then go to her, hold her, and comfort her," she told him. When Auron turned away to head back inside, she added, "But if you hurt her…_she_ will _not_ be the _only_ one to fear thunder and lightening!"

Auron looked back over his shoulder and nodded to the mage, "I understand." He just hoped that Lulu wouldn't find out that he would be leaving the group after Sin was defeated. As much as he wanted to stay, this was not his world now. Even if the only woman that he would truly love was here, and that hurt him to no end. He stepped back into the inn and made his way to the room that Rikku was in. Getting a tray with enough food for the two of them to eat on the way.

***

When Auron opened the door to Rikku's room, the first thing that he noted was that she wasn't resting peacefully. She was thrashing on the bed obviously in the grasp of a terrible nightmare. As quickly as he could, without spilling it, he set the tray down and went to her. Removing his gorget, and dropping on the floor when he reached the bed. And he put his sunglasses on the table bedside the bed.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, Rikku bolted upright, into his chest, screaming, "HU!!! MAYJA SA YMUHA!!!" (NO!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!)

He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him.

She didn't seem to want anything to do with him holding her. She was struggling to get free and saying, "HU!!! E fuh'd mad oui hybi sa ykyeh!!!" (NO!!! I won't let you rape me again!!!)

Auron's eye widened at that. Rape!? She had been raped!? When? Anger filled him. By who???

He started trying to wake the young girl to bring her relief from her tormented dreams. "Rikku, so bnaleujc meddma dreav, bmayca fyga ib! Hu uha femm rind oui. E ys rana du bnudald oui, so muja!" (Rikku, my precious little thief, please wake up! No one will hurt you. I am here to protect you, my love!)

***

She was being held…and it wasn't Lulu anymore! Rikku's eyes shot open. And she saw the red of the cloak of the one holding her. Auron! When did he get here? Did he just call me 'my love'? He speaks Al Bhed???

His arms felt so good around her, and his hand rubbing her back was so comforting that she couldn't help it, she broke down into tears again. She felt him pull her onto his lap and hold her tighter as she cried.

When she finally calmed down again, he gently pulled her head back away from him so he could see her face. Her eyes were swollen and they and her nose were red. She was still beautiful to him.

"Rikku, calm down. It's alright, So Muja."

He did call her 'my love'! She felt her heart soar. Did this mean what she hoped it meant?

"Auron?" Rikku said once she was finally able to find her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"Lulu said you had a bad memory hit you at the wrong time, and that I should come comfort you."

"Oh," Rikku's heart sank a little. He was not here on his own. His endearment was probably to help comfort her. But then why was she still sitting on his lap with his arms loosely around her?

Rikku looked up into his face, and saw that his eye was watching hers carefully. She was about to ask him about how long he had been there, when her stomach decided to grumble. She decided to grumble.. She ducked her head a bit, and a faint flush crossed her cheeks.

She heard him chuckle a bit, a deep warm rumble. "I also brought some food for us for when you were ready to eat," he said, indicating to the tray with his head.

She smiled her thanks, then slid backwards off his lap and he stood and retrieved the tray from where he had left it when he entered. Bringing it back to the bed, he set it on the floor beside it.

He situated the pillows against the headboard in such a way that they could both comfortably sit and relax against it. Then he picked the tray up and sat down with his back against the pillows. Settling the tray across his lap, he indicated to the spot beside him, "Come, Rikku, sit, eat, and relax."

She settled in beside him and they ate all the food that was on the tray together.

***

After their shared meal, Auron put the tray on the floor. Then he leaned back against the pillows again, and pulled Rikku against his side gently and put one arm around her. He was glad that she cam against him willingly, and even happier when she placed her head on his shoulder, like a pillow, of her own accord.

She placed a hand, timidly, on his stomach. He reached up with his free hand and laced his fingers with hers. The hand of the arm wrapped around her, caressed her upper arm.

"Care to talk about it?"

"Huh?"

"Your dream, do you want to talk about it? It might help."

Rikku didn't know what to do. Should she tell him about the dream? Should she keep it to herself? She couldn't risk him not believing her about what had happened, it would hurt her too much. Could she tell him about the dream without telling him about what had happened to her before?

She knew that she would not be able to fall asleep with the memories still running in her head. Would talking about it again really help her sleep?

Not knowing fully what to do, she answered him honestly, "I don't know if I could handle it."

A bit hurt, Auron sighed, but he was not going to press her to talk if she was not ready to. "I understand," he said. Then he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Sleep then So Muja. I am here and no one will harm you while I am. You are safe." He pulled her closer to him to hold her a bit tighter as she slept so that she would feel secure.

When her leg hooked over his in her sleep, sometime later, he stiffened. An act so simple and so innocent from her had him bursting with desire for her. He had pushed that desire aside earlier when he saw that she was upset. She was still upset even if she wasn't showing it right now, so he would push it aside this time too.

She needed his love and comfort right now more than she needed his libido to act up.

He fell asleep holding her in his arms, never having felt as at peace before in his life than he did right then.

***

When she awoke before dawn the next morning, Rikku felt safe and warm. She had not had such a restful night since before the day that she was attacked.

That's when it hit her. She was in someone's arms. And their hand was on her hip. A little freaked out, she opened one eye a bit and saw that Auron had been the one holding her, still. He must have stayed with her all night. Her heart picked up it's pace a bit. Did it mean anything? Or had he simply stayed with her because he felt he needed to as the oldest?

She couldn't bare to think that he had stayed because he felt an obligation to. Feeling a bit foolish she started to untangle herself from him.

As soon as she moved, though, he woke up. "Good morning, So Muja," he said to her, smiling a bit. "How do you feel this morning?"

Blushing, she replied, "Much better, I have not slept so well in sometime." Then she quietly added, "Thank you."

"Anything for you So Meddma Dreav (My Little Thief)," he said, making her blush even more. When she ducked her face away from him, trying to hide the flush on her face, he gently cupped her cheek with his hand and turned her face back to him.

She didn't realise that he was moving closer until their lips met. She had imagined kissing him before, but she never imagined that his lips would be so soft or that he would be so gentle.

When she felt his tongue brush lightly against her lip, she gasped at the pleasure of it.

When his tongue entered her mouth, and brushed hers, she could not hold back the moan of pure bliss. She had never been kissed like this before. She followed his lead and soon got lost into the act, as she echoed and mirrored his movements.

***

He heard and felt her moan and almost lost it right there. His arm that was around her, came up to cradle the back of her head in his hand. The hand that had cupped her cheek, worked it's way down her arm and side, to her hip.

Not breaking the kiss, he gently laid her back onto the bed. He moaned into the kiss unable to refrain from it any longer, and his hand began to caress her from her hip, halfway down her thigh and back up to her ribcage.

His thumb brushed the underside of her breast, and she froze. She grew totally stiff instantly.

Not knowing what was wrong, he pulled his head back away from her. Gasping and struggling to catch his breath, he looked into her eyes. What he saw there had an instant sobering effect on him.

He could see the desire in her eyes. But under that, he could see the fear in there as well.

He mentally kicked himself. Lulu had told him that she had some bad memories kick up. Then when he came into the room last night, she was having a nightmare about being raped.

He put his forehead to hers, closed his eye and took a few calming breaths. All that he could hope was that he had not pushed her away from him.

***

She looked into his face. She was confused. She was afraid. He had kissed her! And she had enjoyed it! When he laid her back and laid over her, kissing her, caressing her leg, hip, and side…she did not want him to stop.

But the slightest brush against her breast, and the events of a year ago came crashing back to her, and she was suddenly afraid, no, terrified.

She wanted this. But she was afraid it would be as it had before. She didn't want him to use her for his own pleasure, then just toss her aside, she didn't know if she could handle that.

She watched him as he took a moment after closing his eye. When he opened it again, he was looking deeply into hers. She could see the desire still in his eye, but most of all, she could see the love that he felt for her, as he said, "Rikku, So Muja, vunkejy sa. E tu hud sayh du rind oui." (Rikku, My Love, forgive me. I do not mean to hurt you.)

She didn't even have to think about her reply as she said, "Auron, ed fych'd oui dryd ryt rind sa." (Auron, it wasn't you that had hurt me."

***

Rolling back to his back, Auron pulled Rikku back against his side and hugged her to him. He sighed deeply, then kissed the top of her head. Then he softly said, "I hope that whoever raped you dies a slow and painful death…preferably at the end of my sword," as he placed his cheek on the top of her head.

He felt her stiffen slightly. "How? How'd you know?" she asked.

So he had been right, she had been raped. "What Lulu had said about you memories, and what you said before you woke up when I first came in last night."

"I said something?" she asked confused.

He nodded, then said, "You said something about how you wouldn't let somebody rape you again."

He felt her tremble against his side for a moment, then he heard her begin to speak, and he listened. He listened to how she had been found, and by who. He listened as she told him about what they did to her. He listened to how she felt she could only tell her brother that is now dead about it. He listened as she told him that, like her brother, the men that hat hurt her had died in the attack on, and the destruction of Home. He listened as she told him of having a talk with Lulu and of telling the Mage about it. He listened as she told him about the nightmare. He listened as she told him that she had the best sleep while in his arms that she had since her attack.

While he listened, he heard other things as well. He heard his heart break over the pain that she had been through, and the loss of her innocence. He heard the bravery of how she kept herself together and not cowering from the men that she saw almost everyday. He heard that she had few people that she could trust with her deepest secrets. He heard the fear that her attackers had instilled in her of them. He heard of the unknowing Guado and her father, dealing out revenge for her. He heard her trust in him for her to be able to tell him all this. But most of all he heard her love for him.

When she was done talking they were both a bit surprised that she had not cried more than just a few tears though the whole ordeal.

There was a soft knock on the door then it creaked open a bit. Through the opening, they heard Lulu say, "The others are waiting for you guys. I told them that Rikku was having bad dreams and that you stayed with her to watch over her, Auron." It was the truth, as far as the others were concerned. Auron knew that Lulu would not betray the trust that either of them left with her the night before.

***

The rest of the following month, the group spent camping on the ground at various sites as they continued on their journey.

Rikku and Auron had started walking closer together, occasionally holding hands. They started to share the same watches over the rest of the group at night. They started to share the same bed roll at night after their watch was over.

The rest of the group couldn't help but to notice the not so subtle changes in the pair. It did not bother them thought, because they all could see that they bother were really happy.

They had always seen how much Rikku loved Auron. They knew that if he did not return those feelings for her, he would not allow her to get so close to him physically and emotionally. He would not be so protective of her.

One night, they were on the first guard watch of the night and the rest had all gone to sleep. The pair sat side-by-side on a log not too far from the fire. They were able to just sit and watch over everybody, because the fire was still burning strongly enough to keep most fiends at bay, but there was always a few that came up close anyway.

"E muja oui," (I love you) Rikku said quietly.

"E muja oui, duu, so bnaleuic meddma freav," (I love you, too, my precious little thief.) Auron replied.

She looked up at him and saw him looking at her, a soft smile on his face. It was a smile that he only gave to her and it made her blush every time. She ducked her head slightly and did just that.

He couldn't help but to chuckle lightly at her. The men who had raped her might have stolen her virginity, but they hadn't managed to steal all of her innocence, and he was glad for that.

He put his arm around her and pulled her against his side. She wrapped her arm around the back of his waist. They sat like that, silently watching the fire, listening or fiends nearing the camp.

Taking her eyes off the fire and looking around them, keeping one scenes on the duty of detecting fiends, she then asked Auron about where he learned to speak Al Bhed.

He smiled a bit at the memory. "Braska taught Jecht and me. He would say, "Ys E ihlancdyyt?" (Am I understood?), and if the people around us made no indication that he was, we would discuss our plans openly, but in Al Bhed. It worked wonders for when we did not want innocent people to follow us, or when other summoners were around."

It made scense to her. Not many Al Bhed would have been out and about so freely even ten years ago. And not all summoners were as pure hearted as her uncle and cousin were.

***

A month after their last stay at an inn they reached another one. They were all happy to be there. That afternoon they had ended up fighting an unusual number of flans, and the last group of three that had attacked, had been a bit more affected by Rikku's grenades than any of the rest had been.

Lulu, Rikku, and Tidus had been in the front lines for that fight. Tidus slicing at one of them with his sword, Lulu had defeated one of them with her magic in just a few spells, and Rikku had tossed a couple grenades behind the remaining two.

Other groups just kind of popped when the explosives when off. But these one exploded like they had been bombs in disguise.

Slime flew everywhere. It coated the three directly in front of the fiends, as they were thrown backwards.

Tidus landed into Khimari, Lulu was caught by Wakka, and Rikku landed in Auron's arms. The only one that had been totally spared of the slime had been Yuna who had stood behind Auron.

Having been standing between Lulu and Tidus during the fight, and kind of between the flans, Rikku got the worse of the slime, getting hit with some from both. And because Auron was the one that she was thrown into, he was the worst of the other three.

No one was upset with Rikku at least, because that was the first time that had happened, but not the first time she had blown up flans before. She told herself, however, that she wouldn't do it again unless she had to.

Yuna suggested that they take a couple nights at this inn so that they could rest and all be well recovered before continuing on. Then she added that maybe the flans that seemed so great in number, would be back to normal by then.

They all agreed with her about staying on extra night. They were all tired and none of them had yet thought of a way that they could defeat Sin.

The inn only had three double rooms and one single room open. They all agreed that Khimari would get the single room, he had taken the worst beating fighting the flans and other fiends and needed the quiet for the rest the most.

Lulu took the three keys and handed them out. She gave one to Tidus, and one to Rikku, the third she kept for herself. The mage gave a wink to Yuna and to Auron. Yuna giggled slightly and Auron just arched an eyebrow at her questioningly, to which he received a smirk in reply.

Sighing, he said, "Stay out of trouble, ALL of you!" looking at each of them, lingering on Tidus the most.

With that, he followed Rikku down the hall to their room. Once they were inside, he pulled her to him, then dipped his face down to hers for a kiss.

When they parted for air, Rikku blushed. "Auron! I'm covered in slime!"

Auron looked at her, then down at himself, shrugged then said, "I am too." Then he pulled her in for another kiss.

This time when they parted, he put his forehead to hers, and struggled to catch his breath. "I am sorry, but I have been wanting to do that all day, but those damned flans kept coming out of nowhere!"

Rikku giggled a bit and blushed. She was having trouble believing that Auron was behaving like this.

"When that last group just exploded, and sent you and the others flying backwards, I was truly afraid for the first time in a long time. I was afraid that I had lost you, shortly after I had found you."

He then pushed her towards the bathroom to get a shower to clean off the slime. He knew that he felt disgusting, and her wasn't wearing near as much as she was.

While they took their turns getting their showers, Rikku thought back over her time with everyone on the pilgrimage. She loved them all, they were like family to her. She knew that once they defeated Sin that they would all remain close friends with each other. Well, all but Auron. She knew that he was an unsent, she knew long before Yunalesca. She knew that he had been looking forward to going to the farplane. He deserved the rest after ten years of fighting the pull.

When they were at the Farplane in Guadosalam, that was when she knew. What monk (even a former one) of Yevon, and Legendary Guardian would not go inside?

Then when he collapsed when Yuna sent Lord Jyscal, it confirmed it for her. Yes she saw him go down, but she didn't say anything because she understood he didn't want people to see him as weak, she understood that probably better than anyone else in their group.

Even though she knew that he was what he was, she did not try to stop things from growing between them. If they only had a limited amount of time together, she wanted happy memories to look back on when times got bad for her. She wanted him to have them too. She was just really happy that she had now with him.

***

When his duties to his friends was done, Auron was not so sure that he wanted to go on to the farplane any more. That would mean that he would have to leave the little Al Bhed thief who stole his heart. How could he protect her if they were on two separate planes of existence?

***

Auron, dressed in his usual red coat (but without the gorget), his leather shirt and his black pants, and sunglasses, and Rikku in her usual orange shirt and green shorts, made their way out to the main common room of the inn, to meet their friends for a meal together.

The group of Yuna and her guardians had all eaten the evening meal together once every one was cleaned up. They all relaxed and actually had a good time. Even Khimari joined in on the laughing and joking.

After a couple of hours, they all decided to retire to their respective rooms. Auron noticed that Yuna and Tidus took one room while Lulu and Wakka took the other. He was happy that the others were finding their own happiness too.

***

Once they were alone in their room, shut away from the rest of the world, Auron once again pulled Rikku to him. This time the kiss was gentle, but she could feel a hunger behind it.

The kiss both scared and thrilled her. She went stiff a bit at first, then she made herself relax. She knew that Auron wouldn't do something to hurt her if he truly loved her. She put her complete trust in him to not hurt her.

She gasped when his lips left her mouth and made their way down her jaw line to her ear. When he began to nibble on her earlobe, she couldn't suppress her moan. She felt a warmth slowly begin to spread through her. Encouraged, Auron moved his lips slowly down her neck to where her neck and shoulder meet.


	2. Healing Love

A/N: *Stagger* I can't believe I wrote the scene below!!!! At first I was kind of embarrassed while writing it, then I realised that I needed it to show how caring Auron is, if it seems ooc, remember ppl act differently with those that they are in love with, than they do everyone else!

* * *

One of her hands came up to the back of his head and her fingers buried themselves in his hair, seeming to draw his head closer. Her other hand rested on his upper arm, for balance, and support to help her remain standing.

He had to taste her skin with more than just his lips. He flicked his tongue against her neck.

She gasped at the sensation and he felt her stiffen then begin to tremble slightly. Worried that he might have gone too far and did something to trigger her memory of being raped, he pulled back and looked into her face.

He could not see any fear there. Her mouth was slackly open, her head tipped back slightly. But her eyes were closed, and he knew that is where he would see how she was truly feeling.

"Open your eyes," he said quietly to her. And when she did, he was shocked to see the effect it had on her face. There was no fear in them at all. He saw her love for him, her trust in him, and the desire that had filled them.

With her eyes open she looked like a woman that was being well loved. His heart surged with his love for her, while other parts surged with desire.

She pulled his mouth back down to hers and kissed him hungrily. Her kiss was a bit clumsy but it still turned him on even more that he already was knowing that he was the one having this effect on her.

The kiss broke when they both needed air. Russet and green looked at each other, drowning in each other. They were both shocked to see the amount of passion and desire in the other.

They kissed again, this time one of Auron's hands cupped of Rikku's head from behind, and his other began at her waist and started to caress her side.

This time when his thumb grazed her breast, she did not still. She moaned into the kiss, and pulled his mouth closer to hers, deepening the kiss.

Her hands found their way to the belt around his waist that held his coat in place. Feeling her work on undoing his garments had Auron groaning.

He pushed her back against the door and began to kiss her neck again. By the faith, he could not help himself, the taste of her skin was so intoxicatingly addictive. He heard her whimper, the sound pulled him back to himself. What was he doing?

At the same time that his belt hit the floor, he had pulled himself back a step and took a hold of the young woman's shoulders. "Rikku," he said, trying to calm himself a bit for a moment. "Rikku!" he said with a bit more force when she didn't seem to hear him. He saw her squeeze her eyes and duck her head, but not before he saw a tear slip out and run down her cheek.

"E's cunno, Rikku,"(I'm sorry, Rikku) Auron said.

She felt her heart break. He loved her, but not in the right way or enough to go where she thought they were going. She couldn't stop the sobs that started to rack her.

Auron was calling himself all kinds of names in his head. He had forgotten for a moment about her past and had ended up hurting her because of it.

"E's cunno, So Muja, cu jano cunno," (I'm sorry, My Love, so very sorry,) he said as he pulled her into his arms to comfort her.

"HU! Tuh'd duilr sa!" (NO! Don't touch me!) Rikku said angrily, fighting him off.

He blew it with her, he had pushed her too far too fast! She wanted nothing to do with him!

Defeated, he released her and hung his head in shame and felt his heart break. "So Muja," he started, not able to drop his nickname for her, because she was that, his love, and always would be.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" she shouted at him. It was tearing her heart out that he was rejecting her, but to have him still call her that was unbearable. "If that was what I am to you, you wouldn't have pushed m…," she couldn't continue through the tears that wouldn't be held back any longer.

"I'm sorry, Rikku. I never wanted to hurt you. I never ment to push you. Fayth!" He sunk to his hands and knees. Hanging his head, he said, "I am no better than those men that attacked you!" He banged a fist against the floor, and muttered almost too low for her to hear, "Now I've lost you!"

"What?' Rikku gasped, confused. He thought that she felt he was pushing himself onto her? "Oh, Auron!" she said as she dropped to her knees beside him and wrapped her arms around his chest from behind, her cheek against his shoulder. "Forgive me," she whispered to him.

"What?" he said, confused. "Me forgive you? Why?"

"Because I let my fears overcome me too easily. I've been afraid that you didn't want me like I was wanting you. I was afraid that you would push me away." She lifted herself off of his back gently and moved to kneel in front of him. She lifted his face to look at her. "I'm sorry, Auron. I love you! I DO trust you not to hurt me, but I let my fears grab ahold of me and I thought that you were going to tell me that you didn't really want me in that way! Then for you to call me your love after what I thought was you pushing me away…it was too much." She then silently watched his face as she let what she said sink in.

His eye still held so much passion. Desire, and love for her, that she had to force herself to not close her eyes because of the feeling it sent through her, right to the spot between her legs.

She leaned to him, and gently pressed her lips to his. She felt his shocked gasp, and she pulled back slightly to look into his eye again.

What she had said took a few moments to sink into his self-critizing mind. But then when her lips touched his and it all hit him at once. She thought that he was pushing her away! He mentally damned himself for making her think that.

"So Muja, I only pulled back to make sure that I was not pushing you farther than you were ready to go. I did not want to hurt you like you had been before. I love you too much to do that to you. I was afraid to lose you because of such actions."

He thought that she felt he was pushing her into making love with him? She felt so stupid and foolish. She looked back into his eye and saw the hurt that was there, just under they other emotions that she saw there earlier.

"So you wanted to make love with me?" she asked him timidly.

"Fayth, Rikku, I still do!" he groaned at the thought of being that close to her.

She stood up. He let his head fall forward again, not sure if he could risk seeing hurt on her face. He thought he heard the could of buckles and snaps, but he wasn't sure. Next he thought he heard something hit the floor in front of him. "Good," he heard her say.

When he looked, he saw a puddle of orange and blue fabric. It only took him a moment to realise that it was her shirt. One of her bare feet appeared in his lines of sight, shortly after that.

He could not stop his eye from following her leg up. His eye moved up over her green shorts and froze for a moment when he came to her crossed arms over her bare chest. He couldn't suppress the moan as he continued up to her eyes.

There was a passion, a need, a hunger that was in her eyes, that would not let him break eye contact if he had wanted to. He rose to his feet and stepped in front of her. "Rikku?" he asked, not so much his words, but with his eye, asking if she was sure.

Slowly, she reached up, and pushed his red coat off of his shoulders. He let it slide off his arms and fall in a puddle at his feet.

He brought one hand up and cupped her cheek with it while his other hand grasped her hip and pulled her in close so that she could feel the evidence of his arousal for her when she was pressed against him.

"Rikku, So Muja, please, are you sure that this is what you want?" She nodded. "Are you sure? Because I'm not sure I will continue to have the self-control if we start again.

She nodded again. "I don't want you to stop," she said.

Groaning deep in his chest as his hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head and pulled her lips to his in a hungry kiss.

Rikku stiffened for a moment from shock, but it did not last long and she was wrapping her arms around his neck, pushing her bare breasts against his leather clad chest.

Auron moved both of his hands down to grasp Rikku's ass. When she didn't react negatively, he pulled her against him tightly, lifting her off her feet.

When her hips were at his waist, he broke the kiss, the bounced her once, enough to be able to catch her thighs and coax her to wrap her legs around his waist. When she squealed a bit at the bounce, he smirked at her, but kept his eye on hers, letting her know that he had her, that she was safe in his arms, that he would not drop her.

She smiled back at him then threw her head back and moaned when he licked at her collar-bone, and moved his mouth lower to her breasts.

As he kisses and licks her breasts, he slowly makes his way to the bed.

When his knees hit the mattress, he put one knee on the bed then leaned forward bracing himself up with one arm, his other moving to around her waist.

As he worked his way up the bed, he kicked off his boots.

He laid her down when her head reached the pillows. As she felt the mattress under her back, she let her legs unwrap from his waist.

Wrapping her fingers in the hair at the back of his head, she pulled his mouth back to hers and kissed him hungrily. Asking with her tongue and lips what she didn't know how to with words.

When their kiss broke, Auron started kissing her neck again as he felt her hands make their way down his back to where his shirt was tucked into his pants.

She pulled the shirt from the waist of his pants, then teasingly moved her hands up his torso, under his shirt, pulling it up as she went. "Drec ryc du ku!"(This has to go!), she said as she moved.

He mentally agreed with her and sat back on his heels to remove it. He had to feel her skin against his. He watched her as she took in his bare chest. Most women would have shrank from the scar that crossed him. Instead, Rikku, sat upright and pressed her lips to the middle of the scar, the action earned her another moan from the Warrior Monk.

He grabbed the back of her head gently, and tipped her head back and crushed his mouth against hers, crawling forward, he pushed he back against the bed again.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders then began to move down his back, to the waist of his pants, then slid around to his front.

He grinned into the kiss when he felt her hands struggle with the fastenings of his pants.

He pulled away from her completely. "Yna oui cina, So Bneleuic Meddma Dreav?" (Are you sure, My Precious Little Thief?) he asked her gently, his voice raspy with his desire for her.

Rikku graoned at the sound. She opened her eyes and looked into his. His normally brown eye was almost black from passion. "Vyodr OAC Auron! Bmayca…Auron, cdub DAYCEHK SA!" (Fayth YES Auron! Please…Auron, stop TEASING ME!) she pleaded with him.

"Fru cyet E's daycehk oui?" (Who said I'm teasing you?) he said, a serious note slightly entering his voice.

He was making sure that she wanted to keep going, she realised. Then to show him how sure she was, she reached for her own shorts and quickly unfastened them, and pushed them and her undergarments down her legs.

He was frozen for a moment by her action. He recovered, though, before her clothes reached her knees, and stopped her, removing her hands from them.

"So Muja, oui tuh'd ghuf fryd naym daycehk ec," (My love, you don't know what real teasing is) he said as he pulled her pants slowly down her legs, caressing them as he went. Once she shorts were off her feet, he tossed them aside, onto the floor. He looked at her, and she nearly melted from the heat of his gaze. "E drehg E haat du cruf oui," (I think I need to show you.) he said as he picked up one of her feet and kissed the instep. She shivered at the contact.

Locking his eye with hers, he slowly kissed and licked his way up the inside of her leg, tasting as much of the soft skin as he could. When he reached her knee, he stopped, smirking when she graoned in protest of the loss of contact. Then he began with her other leg.

When he reached her knee this time, he paused for a moment, only to continue up the same leg. At the top of her thigh, he placed a kiss so close to where she felt the heat pooling that his cheek brushed against her sensitive skin.

Then he began at her other knee again and kissed his way back up that leg. Placing a kiss on that side much like he had on the other.

He then placed a kiss over the heat that was pooled between her thighs. She gave a gasp at the pleasure the act brought.

He could smell her uncovered arousal and it was driving him crazy. He had to know how that tasted.

She couldn't keep eye contact anymore. She closed her eyes and threw her head back in pleasure, when she felt his tongue part her folds, and a small squeak passed her lips. He chuckled, his mouth pressed against her and the vibrations made her moan.

Auron licked her again and again. He couldn't get enough of her taste. Rikku began to writher under him, in pleasure. HE let his tongue slide between her folds, and the both almost lost control.

Vyodr Auron! Oac!" (Fayth Auron! Yes!) Rikku hissed out between clenched teeth. He rubbed hir clit with his tongue and she lost the ability to say anything other than "Vyodr Auron!" repeatedly.

He pushed his tongue into her and she screamed in pleasure as she reached her first climax.

While she caught her breath, he began to place kisses on her body, starting with her thighs. As he kissed his way up her body, he could feel her muscles quake under his lips.

As he reached her breasts, he gave each nipple a long and gentle lick, making it grace as much of his tongue as he could. She whined at the memory of the feel of his tongue against her clit.

He licked his way up her neck to her ear and began to nibble on her earlobe for a moment, before kissing his way down her jaw line to her mouth. There he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Then he pulled away from her enough that he was easily able to fully look at her face.

After a few moments of deep gulping breaths, Rikku was able to breath somewhat normally again. She shifted her eyes to Aruon's face. Then she let her eyes travel the length of his body. She pouted a bit at his pants, "Hif, rif vyan ec dtyd?" (Now, how fair is that?) She asked him.

"What?" he asked.

"Oui cdemm ryja cusa lmudrac eh!" (You still have some clothes on!)

He chuckled, then said, "You're right. It's not fair at all." Then he stood and turned so that he was facing the bed.

Watching her face for any sign of fear, he undid his pants, then pushed both them and his undergarments to the floor, and stepped out of them.

Rikku let her eyes raom his body again, and the total beauty of it took her breath away. The scars that riddled his skin did not take away from it, but added a demention that she could not explain.

When her eyes landed on his lower abdomen, and lower, she felt a blush spread across her face, down her neck, and across her chest.

She flicked her eyes back up to his face. All she could do was give him a hungery look, and lick her lips at their sudden dryness. All she could think about was how he tasted when she kissed his chest, and wondered if he tasted like that everywhere. She blushed again as she thought about the act that would let her find out. If she tried the action, would he think her too brazen? Would it turn him on even more, like when he had been kissing her all over her body?

Looking down his body again, slowly, she couldn't help but to wonder if the skin was as satiny as it looked.

She rose to her knees and crawled across the bed to stop in front of him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she pulled herself up to kiss him on the lips. The taste of herself on his mouth turned her on greatly, again.

Before she could not see how other girls she had known at Home could have been such a willing participant and looking forward to sex.

Now she understood. But ths was not just sex! The emotions that they both felt for each other took this way beyond just sex. It even left the phrase 'love making' in the dust. She doubted that there was a term to describe it properly.

She began to kiss him along the jaw line, much like he had her before. She worked her way to his earlobe, pushing her bare breasts against his bare chest, both burning at every place that they touched the other's body.

Auron's knees buckled when Rikku began to kiss her way down his neck. "So Muja," he moaned, "What are you doing?"

"E fyhd du dycda oui, mega oui tet sa," (I want to taste you, like you did me.) she said, between kisses that trailed down his chest and stomach.

The thought alone of what she seemed to have in mind almost had him cumming. He knew that if he were to allow her to do so now, he would not be able to stop it from happening before he had given her all the pleasure that he wanted to show her.

He gently grasped her upper arms and pushed her away from him, when she looked up at him, he saw hurt flash through her eyes momentarily, until he leaned in and kissed her, pulling her tightly against him again.

When they parted again to breathe in the air that their lungs were screaming for, Auron saw that Rikku's eyes showed none of the hurt that he had glimpsed in them before.

"Fro tet oui cdub so?" (Why did you stop me?) Rikku asked him.

"So Muja. If I had not, I would not have been able to control myself. I am not done showing you all the pleasure I eant you to have, just yet." Rikku blushed a bit, it reddened deeper as Auron breathed his next words against her ear. "When it is time for me, I want to be buried inside of you, as you are screaming my name in pleasure." He hoped that his words did not scare her, but her could not hold them back.

Auron knew that he needn't have worried when she moaned and sagged against him more. He placed one hand behind her head, and the other on the same of her back. He kissed her deeply again, as he began to lay her on his back on the bed, him propping himself over her.

Moving one knee between her thighs, he gently parted her legs. The hand that had been on her back, moved to her front, and her began to gently caress her breasts, teasingly, letting his fingers trail down her stomach, to where her legs met.

He gently caressed her folds with his fingers, as he began to kiss and nip at the side of her neck. Rikku gasped and moaned his name loudly. He could feel her pleasure growing under his fingers between her folds and began to stroke the bundle of nerve endings that he had already teased with his tongue not too long ago.

He stopped kissing her neck and watched her face as he carefully thrust one finger into her. Her eyes closed in pleasure and her mouth opened, but no noise escaped it.

Auron leaned up and kissed her deeply as his finger began to quicken in its caress of her opening, swallowing any noises that were going to try to escape her precious lips.

He slowed his digit's penetration long enough to add a second to the thrusts.

He felt her hands touch him. One threading her fingers through his hair. The other was digging its nails into the flesh of his back.

Auron reluctantly broke the kiss when his lungs were screaming for air, and he knew that hers must hav3e been as well.

"Auron, bmayca!" (Auron, please!) Rikku begged, her mind made into mush, by all the pleasure that he was giving her, speech, even in her native tongue, was nearly impossible.

"What is it that you want, So Muja?" he breathed in her ear, noticing the shivers that went down her spine at each word.

"Syga muja du sa, bnubanmo, bmayca!" (Make love to me, properly, please!) she gasped, her eyes meeting his. He saw the depth of her passion there, and he knew that she was ready for him.

He withdrew his fingers as he raised himself over her completely, settling himself completely between both of her legs.

Rikku felt him against her entrance, but felt no fear. She loved him and knew that she could always trust him.

"Ev drec hinds oui, E ys cunno. E ru hud fecr du rind oui," (If this hurts you, I am sorry. I do not wish to hurt you.) she heard him whisper into her ear just before he entered her.

Her mind flashed, momentarily, back a year, to her rape, then she realised that this was nothing like that. Auron was being so gentle and caring with her, showing her how much he truly cared for her, not just taking as much of his own pleasure from her as he could. She felt a tear slip out of the corner of her eye at the emotion of the moment.

Auron stilled after he entered her, allowing her to get accustomed to his intrusion. He watched her face and grew greatly concerned when the tear slippped from her eye. "Rikku, So Muja, are you alright?"

He watched as her emerald surrounded swirls locked with his eye and she nodded. "Bmayca, Auron, tuh'd sdub," (Please Auron, don't stop) she pleaded.

Gently, he withdrew from her and then filled her again. She moaned his name in pleasure, and her repeated the action, making her moan again. He continued the movement, repeating it over and over, delighting in the noises coming from the woman under him. The rocking of her hips, as she instinctively, matched his rythem, driving him crazy.

Slowly he began to increase the speed and the force of his trusts, making her walls tighten around him, he began to thrust the most powerfully he had ever recalled. Bringing them both to their completion together.

Rikku's nails dug tracks into Auron's back, and she screamed his name when her world exploded. She thought the orgasim that he gave her before was good, but it did not manage to leave her feeling as gratifying like this one had.

Not wanting to crush her, before his strength completely gave up on him, Auron rolled to his back, taking Rikku with him, not breaking their most intimate of contact.

HE cradled her against his chest as she drifted off to sleep, a small smile upon her face. Watching the young woman as she slept peacefully, Auron felt a twinge of guilt start to gnaw at him as he realised the hurt that he would be causing her in the long run. He could not find any regrets for their actions over the past weeks. As long as she held no regrets once he told her the truth about his live, or lack-there-of, he would be able to be happy for sure.

Fayth! He hoped that she wouldn't come to regret their time together. He began to feel something that he had not felt in a long time…doubt, and almost petrifying doubt.

Sighing, he resolved that he HAD to talk to her in the morning. He just hoped that he wouldn't lose his Muja so soon after finding her. He kissed the top of her head, then followed her into slumber.


	3. Saying GoodBye

A/N: Here we go again. As always I only own a copy of FFX no rights from the game…*pouts and sighs*…well……on with the story!!!!!!

Rikku awoke to the gentle beating of Auron's heart beneath her ear. She marvelled over that little miracle until she came to the full realization that she was laying on his BARE chest! Then the full memory of their night together hit her as she felt a mildly painful sensation between her legs. Then the wetness of her thighs had her thinking for a moment or two of what it was. The answer made her blush.

When she had first met the group, back at the Moonflow, she could not ever have imagined that he would have acted the way he had the night before with everyone in the common room, when they ate. There had been such a change in him over the last month or so. He seemed more open with the whole group. He still kept them moving to defeat Sin (unless he was overruled by Yuna), but her actually seemed a little more caring and playful.

She shifted her position, careful not to wake the still sleeping man under her. Sitting up next to him, she began to let her eyes trail up his body, beginning where the sheet pooled hear his waist. She fully took in every detail of his body, memorising it for when he would eventually leave her for the farplane.

As her eyes roamed his chest, her mind flashed over the night before. She knew that if it had been any other man than Auron, she never would have let them anywhere near her like that. She had never known how gentle and caring Auron could be.

When her eyes reached his face she was surprised to see his eye open, and looking over her body, as if he too were trying to memorise her body. She felt herself flush at the thought.

"Ruh muhk tyja oui paah yfyga?" (How long have you been awake?) she asked him.

"I was awake before you sat up. I was being selfish and enjoying holding you as you slept. But now that you are awake, I will return shortly," he said as he rose from the bed, pulled his pants on and made his way to the a joined bathroom where they had each taken their showers the night before. A few minutes later, he returned with a damp, warm cloth. Rikku gave him a questioning look when he laid her on her back, and removed the blankets from her. Gently he wiped the cloth over her thighs, cleaning her up from their activities from the night before.

As the cloth caressed her leg, Rikku gasped in pleasure because she knew that is was Auron's hand on the other side of the cloth.

At the sound that escaped her lips, Auron's eye flicked to her face, and he could see her eyes start to darken from the arousal that he was raising in her. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle loving kiss.

Once they pulled apart, he out his forehead to hers, and in her native tongue, said, "Kuut sunhehk, So Muja." (Good morning, My Love)

"Good morning, Auron," she replied back, smiling at him.

A half smile grazed his lips in reply, and she got the feeling that something was wrong, and her smile fell from her face, "Fryd ec ed? Fryd ec fnuhk?" (What is it? What is wrong?) she asked, growing nervous.

Auron sighed and sat so that his back as against the headboard of the bed, then he pulled her against his side and held her against him. "I have something to tell you, So Muja. Something that I fear will make you hate me, something that most likely will hurt you, and I am loathe to do so, but I cannot keep this truth from you any longer."

"Before I tell you what it is though, I want you to know that I love you, deeply. I do not wish to see you hurt, but I know that if I tell you now, it would hurt less than for me not to tell you."

Taking a deep breath, he prepared to tell her what would hurt him the most, "If you do not wish to be with me anymore after I tell you, I will accept it. I would not like it, but I cannot bring myself to see you as anything but happy with your life."

"I have NO regrets of our time together, and once you have heard what I am going to say, I can only hope that you will not have any either." He pressed his lips against the top of her skull and inhaled the scent of her hair.

Rikku felt her stomach do flip flops, she was beginning to feel scared about what he was going to tell her. Tilting her head back so that she could look into his face, "Auron, I love you! NOTHING could make me hate you! What is it? What is bothering you?"

"Rikku, So Muja, I am an unsent. I am only here because of promises that I made to Jecht and Braska. Once we defeat Sin, I will got to the Farplane."

Rikku released the breath that she didn't realise that she was holding in a sigh of relief. She sat up and straddled his lap, facing him. I already knew that you were an unsent, and now I know how long we have together. Then she closed the distance between them and kissed him, putting all of her love for him into it.

Pulling back in shock, after a moment, Auron said, "You already know?"

"Ever since the farplane in Guadosalam," Rikku said, as she steadily held his eye. "I had never heard of a Warrior Monk who would not want to visit such a holy place for Yevonites, even if they had left the ranks. And then when Yunie sent Lord Jyscal, I saw how that affected you. At Zanarkand, I learned when and how you died. I have seen so many wounds growing up because of the fighting with Yevonites and mechina accidents that I have learned what kind of wounds would most likely kill someone even with all of the healing magic and restorative items in Spira at your disposal. I knew went we saw the memory of your fight with Yunalesca that she was the one to have killed you, after Uncle Braska had already defeated Sin."

"You never said anything before, why?"

"At the farplane I did not really know you that well, but I knew that you would not have appreciated me exposing your time of weakness. I know you, as a warrior, do not want people seeing you as weak."

"Dryhg-oui," (Thank-you) Auron said, "but how could you have known what I was, and still…?" he trailed off, not willing to put words in her mouth, not words that she had not said, exactly.

"And still fall in love with you?" she asked, and when he nodded, she said, "It was never a matter of what you are, but who you are. I fell in love with the man that guarded his best friend and tried to save him in his fight against Sin. I fell in love with the man who made a promise to both of his friends to watch over their children. I fell in love with the man who protects everyone in this group, even if it is from themselves. I fell in love with you, Auron, not the idea of 'Sir Auron' that everyone talks about, and is in awe of. He has always scared me!" she said, and grinned when he chuckled.

"You fell in love with the man who fell in love with you," Auron said, as he gently cupped her cheek with is palm and softly kissed her lips. The kiss deepened, and filled with passion.

Auron just laid her back against the bed again when there was a knock at the door

They did not have time to react when the door opened and Lulu entered the room. Seeing the sight before her, she blushed slightly and quickly turned and left the room again, pausing long enough to say, "I will tell the others to not expect the two of you down for breakfast, at least." Then she shut the door, smiling, making a mental note to make sure some food gets sent to the room for the mid-day meal if they do not see the couple in the next couple of hours.

Once the door shut again, Auron and Rikku looked at each other, him chuckling, her giggling at the expression on the black mage's face, as they kissed again.

***

They had done it! They had beat Sin!! Beat Yu Yevon!!! Now it was time for Yuna to send them. Auron squeezed Rikku's hand, and she could see it in his expression that he was half thinking of stepping away from the group so that he would not have to leave her. "Ru!" (Go!) she whispered. "Oui ryja ayntat ouin nacd." (You have earned your rest.)

"E muja oui," (I love you) he said.

"E muja oui, duu," (I love you, too) she replied.

"Ihdem fa caa aylr udran ykyeh," (Until we see each other again,) he said, then he gave her a gentle kiss on her lips, and stepped back a few steps. She turned around so that her back was to him, but he knew that she only did it so that he would see the tears that had started to fill her eyes. He knew that she was trying to be strong for him.

When the first pyerfly burst from him, and he saw Yuna's look of shock, he knew that he had been right to have told Rikku about being an unsent, even if she had already known.

Stepping forward, he silently said his good-byes to everyone but Rikku, they had said their good-byes the night before they began their fight against Sin directly.

Once he reached the edge of the platform, he turned and looked at everyone but Tidus, with his eyes resting on Rikku the longest, and said, "This is your world now."

As Auron vanished into pyerflies, Rikku felt a happiness and a clam spread through her. She knew that Auron would be waiting for her to join him on the farplane and she also knew that he wanted her to live a long and full life.

And she would do just that, for him.

A/N #2: I know this was a short one, I'm sorry, but the next, and final chapter should be longer, not sure how long it is though, since it's still only on paper, and not typed yet, but hopefully later tonight or tomorrow I will have it posted as well.


	4. Rikku's Future

A/N: the final instalment to my story, sorry that the updates were taking so long, but my PC had a damned virus, and work, and other aspects of life got in the way…*sigh*…this is why I stick to one-shots…lol, oh well…hope you enjoy the last chapter on this story *grin*

Rikku's Future

Once again, Rikku has had a hand in saving Spira. She, Yuna, and Paine had joined forces and destroyed Vegnagun.

During the fight on the farplane she had heard many voices encouraging them, but only one stuck out to her, and after she heard it, it kept ringing in her ears, pushing her forward, giving her the strength to go on.

After the fight, though, it was another story. They returned to Besaid, and found Tidus there, returned, given another chance at life, given another chance at making Yuna happy. She truly felt happy for her cousin. Yuna had given up a lot during her life as a summoner all to make Spira happy until she could defeat Sin and bring the Calm to keep them safe until Sin would raise again. Then with Tidus' help she defeated Sin forever.

But deep down, where she had no control of what thoughts are born, she couldn't help but think that they were not the only two on that journey, that Tidus was not the only one that vanished at the end. She quickly squashed down those thoughts as soon as they made themselves known, she had her love waiting for her to live her life then they would be together. They did not know where Tidus went when he vanished, but because he just faded instead of becoming pyerflies, they figured that he would not be waiting for Yuna's arrival to the farplane after her life was lived.

Tidus had been back for half a year and he and Yuna was to be getting married in a week. Wakka and Lulu were helping the happy couple get ready, and Rikku was doing what she could too. Some of her days, though, she just looked after Vidina for Lulu and Wakka. She felt like she was intruding on the happiness of both couples some days. They all had the one that they loved with them and she was alone. They knew that she was happy for them, but they also could see that there were times that she missed Auron greatly, and did not4 know how to comfort her. They did not know what to say. It was those times that she felt the most uncomfortable with them, than she would when each couple would get lost in each other and she would be left sitting there looking up at the sky, thinking back over her time with Auron. She stayed away at times more for their comfort than her own.

***

The morning of the day that was exactly one week before the wedding, found Rikku heading to Bevelle to find herself a dress to wear. She had looked in Besaid, Kilika, and Luca, but found nothing there suited her, or the occasion.

Arriving just outside the city's boundary, Rikku found herself walking a short way into the metropolis.

Just ahead of her was the shopping district. Suddenly a figure appeared before her. She quickly pulled herself to a stop, to avoid colliding with the man. She tried to side step around him, but he matched her steps. She backed up a step to move out of his way, and she collided with a solid wall of muscle behind her.

The man behind her grabbed her arms and said, "Well, what do we have here?"

"A little Al Bhed slut, from the looks of it," the man in front of her said.

"How about we show her how we welcome sluts to Bevelle?" the man behind her asked, his mouth so near her ear, she could feel his breath upon her neck. The man in front of her grinned and nodded in agreement

They never said what they were going to do, but she knew what they meant, and she was going to give them one hell of a fight if they thought they could rape her.

She stamped her heel into the foot of the man holding her. "Hud drec desa!" (Not this time!) Rikku screamed as she jabbed her elbow into the gut of the man behind her when he released her in shock of the attack with her foot.

"Looks like this one likes to put up a fight," said the man in front of her.

"My friend will be here soon, he was not too far behind me. If he sees you hurting me, he will make you sorry that you did!"

The man in front of her laughed, and backhanded her across the face. "We have watched you since you entered the city, no one entered behind you, so where is this friend of yours?"

***

"Auron!"

The man dressed in red turned towards the voice that called his name. Seeing the fayth Shiva before him, he was shocked.

"Auron, I have been sent to ask you a few questions," she stated, and continued at his raised eyebrow, "Is it truly Rikku that you love?"

The Warrior Monk raised his eyebrow again, which the fayth took as a 'yes'. "Would you give up all of this," she spread her hands out, indicating the farplane, "to spend just one more day with her on Spira?"

That question caught him off guard for a moment, but then he answered, honestly, "No. As much as I miss her and long to see her, I love her too much to hurt her by not being here, waiting for her when her time comes to join us here."

The fayth nodded her head, and smiled warmly. "Now, my final question. Do you believe that Rikku truly loves you as deeply and as strongly as you love her?"

Auron did not waste a moment in answering that question, "Yes." There was no other answer that he could give. He knew what had happened to her in her past before they met, he knew what kind of person that she was when they journeyed together, and he knew what kind of person she continued to be. He remembered seeing her and calling out, encouraging her as she battled Vagnagun on the farplane, and he remembered stories that he heard about 'Lady Rikku' from those who joined the farplane after his sending. She was loved by a lot of people.

Shiva looked at him and smiled widely. "Auron, because of your love for, and loyalty to Rikku, we the fayth have decided to offer the two people that greatly helped in the salvation of Spira, not only once, but twice, that have not been rewarded, a reward. We already know that Rikku wishes to be by your side again, though she is patiently waiting her time to join you here, living her life as she promised you. My offer to you is this, you can return to Spira, returned to the body that you had just after you died, returned to life, not just as an unsent, then once you two have fully lived your lives, you are both still welcome back to the farplane."

"What is the catch?" Auron asked suspiciously.

"Bahamut warned me you might suspect a trick. The only catch is that you must hurry because Rikku is now in danger, and you will need to save her from harm if you want her to be the same woman that you fell in love with."

"Danger!?!? What kind of danger?!"

"I will take that as a 'yes'?" Shiva asked. Then she watched as the former guardian gave her a quick nod of his head. "I will place you as close to her as I can without you suddenly appearing out of the air in front of a lot of people."

"She is in Bevelle, just south of the shopping district, you must hurry to her. This is the best that I can do, we fayth do not have the power that we once had."

"I understand," the man growled, growing impatient knowing that Rikku was in trouble.

Shiva held her hand up and snapped her fingers, much like she did for her Diamond Dust attack, and Auron was momentarily blinded by a flash of light.

When his vision cleared, Auron found himself in one of the side alleys of Bevelle, and at the end that opened into the street, he thought he saw someone that looked like the Rikku he saw fighting on the farplane, pass by, then a man following her.

Auron, quickly, quietly, and carefully, left the alley and headed the same way that the woman and the man went. Auron heard a female voice screen. "Hud drec desa!" (Not this time!) and he knew that it was Rikku, and that she had been attacked.

Moving even faster, he caught up with them in time to see Rikku get slapped by the man in front of her, as he said, "We have been watching you since you entered the city, no one entered behind you, so where is this friend of yours?"

***

"Right here!" said a familiar voice from behind Rikku. _No! It couldn't be! He's on the farplane!_

_When the man behind her spun around to face the potential threat, he pushed Rikku into the side of the building, hard enough to knock the wind out her, and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath._

_She heard a fist connect with flesh and bone and knew that someone had gotten punched, and Rikku silently prayed that it was the two men that held her that were on the losing end, then she hoped that the man that sounded so familiar was someone that she could trust._

"_Shit! Man, that guy has a big-Ass sword! And the way he can lift it, I ain't hanging around here!" Rikku heard one of her attackers say and then two sets of footsteps running off._

_A pair of boots came into her view, and then a knee as the man that remained knelt in front of her. There was a clang to her left and when she looked, she could not believe her eyes. She could have sworn that THAT sword was with her Dark Knight dress sphere!_

_Gaining control of her lungs again, she looked into the man's face._

"_Auron?!" It looked like him, kind of. He was younger, but he still had the scar across his face, and his eye was sealed shut behind it. "Auron? Ec dryd naymmo oui?" (Is that really you?)_

"_Oac, Sa Bnaleuic Medda Dreav, yht E ys rana du bnudald oui!" (Yes, My Precious Little Thief, and I am here to protect you.)_

_Rikku threw herself into his arms and hugged him, "Pid, ruf?" (But, how?) she asked, muffled against his chest._

_The only answer that he could give, was the one that nobody who was on Yuna's pilgrimage would question, it was the one answer that explained a lot of their good luck, it also was the truth, "Dra vyedr." (The Fayth.)_

"_That would also explain the change in your looks," Rikku said quietly, almost under her breath. Auron had heard her, but would contain his curiosity about the statement until later. Maybe he could get somewhere and get a look at himself to see what she had meant._

_Helping her to her feet, Auron said, "Let's get you to an inn to rest."_

"_No!" Rikku said. Then she blushed at her outburst. "I came to Bevelle to find a dress for Yunie's wedding, I will not rest until I find it! I've looked almost everywhere else in Spira and can't find one!"_

"_Yuna's wedding?" Auron was caught off guard with that,. "She's getting married? To whom?"_

_Rikku barely refrained from slapping her forehead with her palm. "Right! You wouldn't know!"_

"_Know what?"_

"_Tidus came back about six months ago, the wedding is in a week. Grabbing his hand, she began to drag him behind her as she headed towards the shopping district, "Come with me! Help me find my dress!"_

_Sighing, Auron allowed her to pull him a few steps. Shopping was not on the top of the list of things that he wanted to do, but if that was what she wanted, he would do it. But first…_

_He pulled Rikku backwards, towards him when he stopped. He pulled her up against his chest and looked into her face. "I have missed you," he said, then he leaned down and kissed her lips gently. When she began to respond, he deepened the kiss._

_He pulled her against him tighter as she pulled his head down closer to her._

_When they each heard the other moan, they each cam to their senses about where they were, and they broke the kiss, but did not pull away from each other and placed their foreheads together._

_She smiled at him as she said, "I've missed you too."_

_Slowly Auron stepped back from her and said, "Let us get that dress, then get you back to where you are staying. You need to recover after what happened."_

"_After what has happened, or for what is yet to happened?" she asked him with a wink._

_Chuckling at her antics, Auron said, "You will never know if you do not get some rest." Then he followed her the rest of the way into the shopping district, where they spent until mid-afternoon not only finding her a dress, but him a proper outfit for the occasion as well._

_That afternoon they were in Besaid, having returned by the airship that Rikku's brother had, the Celsius as he was to learn it was called. Auron knew that Rikku needed her rest more than he needed to feel her bare skin against him again. He was going to hold back his desire because he knew her history, and given the day she had as he had found her, he wanted to be there in case it all hit her at once and the memories came flooding back._

_When everyone saw Auron step off the airship with Rikku, the only that recognised him as he looked now was Tidus._

"_Auron? Is that really you?" Tidus asked him. The former Warrior Monk looked exactly like he had when they first met twelve years before._

_The others looked at the older, but younger looking man, in shock._

_Auron merely chuckled, as he walked past them, heading towards the village, from the beach._

_He knew what he looked like now, he had seen his face in numerous mirrors while he and Rikku were looking for clothes for their friends' upcoming wedding._

_Rikku looked at the people that had gathered when the airship landed, gave them a saucy grin, like only she could do, then she continued up the path at a light run, slowing to a walk once she caught up to her former-lost-but-found-again-lover._

_It was early evening when they reached the village, and their friends and villagers decided to celebrate Auron's return. They held a bonfire on the beach that they knew was a forerunner for the one that would be taking place the following week._

_Neither Auron nor Rikku minded knowing that this celebration was to be smaller than the one planned for the following week, they had no desire to overshadow their friends' wedding. Both couples' events were happy ones, but Auron and Rikku's was more of a private celebration while Tidus and Yuna's was something that everyone was welcome to celebrate._

_Lulu led them to the spare bed in her and Wakka's hut, when she saw that Rikku was fighting more than just exhaustion. The former Warrior Monk thanked the black mage, and led the thief to the bed by the hand._

_He was glad when Rikku did not try to make things very intimate between them that night, he would hate to have seen her disappointment in her face when he had to turn her down. As much as he wanted to make love to her that night, he also knew that emotionally and mentally, she needed to deal with what had happened that day, as well as what had almost happened. He was going to be there for her when she needed him to be._

_After they had readied for bed, and settled beneath the covers, however, he could not resist pulling her against his side, so that her head rested on his shoulder. Looking down at her face, he saw her grinning at him. He leaned forward and placed a loving kiss upon her lips._

"_Kuut hekrd, So Bnaleuic Meddma Dreav," (Good night, My Precious Little Thief) Auron said as he pulled back. "Cdaab, oui haat nacd." (Sleep, you need rest.)_

"_E Muja oui, Auron," (I love you, Auron) Rikku said as sleep overcame her._

"_E Muja oui, duu, Rikku," (I love you, too, Rikku) Auron replied, pressing his lips against the top of her head, following her into slumber._

_***_

_An unknown number of hours later, Auron was woken by the noise and movement of the woman that still laid against him. He could tell that she was caught in a nightmare._

_He rubbed her back gently, and pressed his lips to her head, his free hand, trapping the hand that she had been hitting his chest with._

"_Rikku, So Muja," Auron whispered against her hair. "Shhh, it is okay, Rikku, you are safe, no one is going to hurt you." Rikku calmed only a little at his voice, but his words did not seem to be getting through to her._

"_E ys rana bnudald oui, So Muja, ymfuoc." (I am here to protect you, My Love, always.) To his surprise, those words seemed to do the trick and she calmed down again, falling still and silent._

_A short time later, Auron was awoken, again, buy Rikku having another nightmare. This time it seemed more upsetting than the one before._

"_Auron! Frana yna oui? Fro ynah'd oui rana?! Oui yna cibbucat du pa rana!" (Auron! Where are you? Why aren't you here?! You are supposed to be here!) The fear and hurt that he heard in her voice tore at him. Never in the time that they knew each other during the pilgrimage had he heard her sound even close to being this scared. The next words out of her mouth made his gut clench._

"_RU! Mayja sa YMUHA! E femm hud mad oui nyba sa! (NO! Leave me ALONE! I will not let you rape me!)_

"_Rikku! Rikku! Fyga ib! E ys nekrd rana! Oui yna cyva! Hu uha ec kuehk du rind oui, So Muja!" (Rikku! Rikku! Wake up! I am right here! You are safe! No one is going to hurt you, My Love!) Once again the Al Bhed stilled in his arms._

_Auron did not hear the movement beside him, and jumped slightly when Lulu spoke, "Is she alright Auron?"_

_Taking his eye off Rikku long enough to look at the black mage quickly so that she would know that he had heard her, before he returned his eye to Rikku and replied, "In time, she will me alright, but until them, or how long, I do not know."_

"_I have not seen her this upset since the night on the pligramage that she told me about being attacked the year before."_

_Auron said nothing, but the gentle kiss that he placed on the hair of the woman in his arms was enough to confirm any thoughts that Lulu might have had. She nodded silently and cast a sleep spell on her young friend. "That will give her a dreamless sleep. Come, have a cup of tea with me, and we can talk. I feel there is more to this that I should know."_

_Auron did not want to leave Rikku's side. Lulu sensed this and said, "She will be fine, and we will be in the next room when she awakens. She will have no dreams, and she wills till feel rested when she wakes."_

_Slowly and carefully, Auron slid out from under the thief. Lulu had left the room to allow him some privacy to put on whatever garments he needed to. He quietly put on his trousers and his leather shirt. Then he placed a gentle kiss on Rikku's forehead before he left the room, saying." E muja oui, Sa Bnaleuic Meddma Dreav," (I love you, My Precious Little Thief) just before his lips touched her skin._

_In the next room, Auron could see Lulu moving around, making them tea, and getting the house ready for the day to come. It was then that he noticed that Lulu was wearing her customary black dress with the fur trim on the neckline and the assortment of belts and buckles on the front. Seeing her attire, he realised that is was early morning, just after dawn, most likely._

"_Is there anything I can help you with?"_

"_No, it is alright, everything is under control," she said. But as soon as the words left her lips, both the kettle started to boil, and Vidina awoke, crying. "On second thought, can you pour the water into the cups, while I get Vidina before he wakes Wakka?"_

_Auron gave her a one sided grin, and moved to the kettle, and Lulu disappeared into the room on the opposite side of the hut._

_A few minutes later, Lulu remerged with the infant in her arms, as he set the cups on the table and sat downs after she had._

_After they both had taken a few sips from their tea cups, Auron tipped his chin towards the infant, "An Al Bhed name?"_

"_It was Wakka's idea," the black mage said, gently rocking the child. At Auron's questioning look, she added, "he has come a long way because of Rikku's friendship."_

"_She seems to be a good influence for him."_

"_She seems to be a good influence for more than just Wakka," Lulu said pointedly. Auron knew what she was getting at, and blushed slightly. It was because of Rikku that he had changed during the last couple of months of Yuna's pilgrimage._

"_I am glad to see that you are back, Auron. Rikku tried to hold it back, most likely for Yuna's sake, but I could see that she had missed you, greatly. She had been doing her best to live as normal of a life any any of Yuna's guardians can, and having had a major hand in saving Spira from another, major threat, she seems almost as sought after as Yuna is."_

"_It has been hard on her at times, but I know that she was not giving up on life, on her happiness to be just as she was, because you wanted her to live and be happy. I thank you for that. Our group had lost two of its members after the fight against Sin, we would not have been able to keep it all together if we lost another to grief, especially Rikku."_

"_She helped all of us to regain our emotional footing from the loss of both you and Tidus. There were days that it seemed that she was the only thing holding each of us up."_

"_Whenever any of us tried to be there to support her like that, she would shrug us off and try to convince us that nothing was wrong, that she was fine."_

"_When did the dam break?" Auron asked her, looking at the table._

"_I am not sure that it ever did." Lulu said quietly._

_Auron's head shot up, and his eye locked with hers. He knew that she had been strong for him. She had been the new rock fro the group to replace the one that he had tried to be before he was sent._

_He also knew that she would not be able to keep it together like that if he left her again. He made a promise to himself to make sure that she knew that he had no plans to leave her until they had both lived their lives and were ready to go to the farplane, together._

"_So, Auron, the new look?"_

_Auron chuckled lightly at Lulu, "Actually, this is an old look for me." When the mage arched her brow, he continued, "this is how I looked after Braska's pilgrimage. How I looked at the moment of my death after my foolish fight Yunalesca."_

"_Are you…," Lulu couldn't ask the question, but she could see that Auron understood what she had been intending to say._

"_Alive? Yes."_

"_How?"_

"_The fayth."_

"_Why?"_

_Auron looked at the top of the table again, "Rikku was in danger. The fayth sent me back, alive, to save her, and to keep her safe."_

"_She was in danger? Where? When?"_

"_Shortly after she had arrived in Bevelle, a few streets away from the shopping district. Two men trapped her and attacked her. They….they, were planning to….rape her."_

_Auron heard Lulu's gasp, and looked up and gave her a smirk, "They changed their plans when I found them."_

"_And when they saw your sword as well, I am sure that changing their pants became part of the new plans."_

_Auron chuckled and shrugged one shoulder._

"_How long until the sleep spell wears off?" Auron asked._

"_It should be wearing off anytime now, actually," Lulu said, listening in the direction of the room Rikku was in, for sounds of her rousing._

_Instead, she heard her husband leave their room, "Good morning Lu, Sir Aur……..er, Auron," he greeted, amending himself at the stern look from the former Warrior Monk._

_Before Auron could return the greeting, they all heard Rikku's voice from the other room. "NO! AURON!"_

_The three friends made their way to the Al Bhed, almost running._

"_Rikku?" Auron said, his voice gentle._

_Rikku gasped, and spun towards his voice. He did not have time to prepare himself when she had leapt at him, and stumbled back a few steps to remain upright as he caught her. He held her close as she fought to control the tremors that racked her body._

_Lulu knew that Auron would be able to calm the young girl, and pulled her husband from the room, by his arm, giving the pair some privacy._

"_Shhh, Rikku, I am here," Auron said against her hair._

"_Uh Vyodr Auron! E druikrd dryd oacdantyo ryt paah y thays! E druikd dryd oui fana cdemm uh dra Farplane, yht dryd E fyc cdemm rana uh Spira fedruid oui!" (Oh Fayth, Auron! I thought that yesterday had been a dream! I thought that you were still on the farplane, and that I was still here on Spira without you!)_

_Auron tightened his grip on the girl, holding her closer to his chest, letting hear his heartbeating, "I am her, So Muja. E ys rana!" (I am here!)_

_He felt her tighten her arms around him as she began to sob. "Shhh, Rikku, I am here," he repeated. "E ys rana vun yc murk yc oui fyrd sa." (I am here for as long as you want me.)_

"_Vunajan! E fryd oui vunajan!" (Forever! I want you forever!)_

"_Drih E ys ouinc vunajan." (Then I am yours forever.)_

"_I was so scared Auron!" and he knew that she was talking about more then just the attack that she had been through the day before._

"_I will always keep you safe," he said, as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "E ys rana du bnudald oui, So Muja."_

_A/N 2: I hope that all who have read this story have enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings too, lol. _


End file.
